The twins – yes, I said twins, look good. I’m not quite as far along (only by a couple of days) as I would have thought, and this is an agonizing alteration to my pregnancy “schedule.” What I mean is that as a loss momma, that last thing I want to be doing is backing up in time… adding MORE time into the 1st trimester.

Both babies are measuring about the same size. Both babies’ heartbeats were easily detected and measured right around 130 which is good for 6 weeks 4 days or so. We were so thankful to see those sweet flickers again.

My husband and I found out definitively about the twins about a week ago. A nurse at the RE’s office recommended a scan because my HCG numbers doubled too quickly. At about 5-1/2 or 6 weeks we were able to see two sacs and even visualize the heartbeats for both babies. I call them my little flickers.

Health Reform: I was thrilled to have been invited to attend a local health reform meeting to represent consumer concerns. I introduced myself as an University professor and a professional opera singer which of course got a couple of laughs. Then, I continued by saying that I’m a consumer advocate and come to this gathering as a woman with a scarred uterus. The main concerns I articulated as a cesarean mom were:

A high local cesarean rate (around 31%); a low VBAC rate (about 1%) at the hospital

A lack of support for the local birth center

Decrease in numbers of CNMs locally

Insurance and health care costs

Insurance company driven health “care”

Additionally, it alarms me that even with my supposed “good” health coverage, I am struggling to pay last year’s medical bills. The bills are overwhelming, so they pile up, and my credit score is suffering as well.

Arts Advocacy: I am one of the educations outreach directors for a new opera company. We had a meeting today to help prepare for the next board meeting and our upcoming educational outreach program.

I even managed to mop the floors. I’d say it was a pretty darned productive day.

I found this rather simple yet possibly effective intro mainstream news article about birthing “venues” on Cape Atlantic ICAN’s blog. Check out this site, because Tiffany is posting really great stuff there. Kudos to Montrose, CO and the care providers there who are doing their part to improve birthing outcomes in their community. I’d like to discuss a few points made in the article:

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“I think our society, we control so much — we control (birth) too.”

LAY MIDWIFE

“The worst machine in the hospital is the clock,” [Bill] Dwelley [midwife] said, adding that he allows the natural process to continue for as long as needed if everything is moving along healthy.

He said 90 percent of children are born without complications. Of that 10 percent that do have complications, an experienced midwife or doctor can handle 7 percent; 3 percent require surgical care.

But because of increased inductions, which increases the risk of c-sections, surgical intervention is rising. MMH has a 17-percent c-section rate.

“It’s about keeping the right to choose,” Dwelley said. “We are doing it in the spirit of the woman gaining power.”

These are powerful and perceptive statements. Indeed, a woman who labors in the hospital is put on a clock. Labor that does not happen according to established norms will be “helped”. A 17% cesarean rate is really not that bad – perhaps that is a reflection of a fairly healthy birth culture? It is important to remember that only a small percentage of babies are born with complications, most of which can be resolved with time, confidence, and supportive care. When these complications cannot be resolved, transfer to a hospital is prudent.

NURSE MIDWIFE

“I love that this is available to us,” Baskfield said. She added that she feels she can choose to have her baby naturally and that she is comforted with the idea that she can take as long as she needs “without feeling like it’s wrong.”

As far as inductions and c-sections, CNM DeEdda McLean said they don’t offer the option unless there is a medical reason.

The nurse-midwife experience is about encouraging empowerment and supporting the road the mother wants to take.

Consider that these births are taking place in the hospital and therefore more succeptible to the medical model of birth. Keep in mind that CNMs are generally overseen by obstetricians. This nursing group is managing more than a third of the hospital births in this area, and it is likely that their cesarean rates are lower than that of the obstetricians. In my case (I must admit my bias), the CNM began suggesting intervention as soon as she arrived at the hospital. I believed, as did Baskerfield (quoted above), that a CNM would not take me down the road of intervention, and in the heat of the moment we both caved. In retrospect I am diappointed that her care in labor & delivery didn’t match the excellent care given prenatally.

HOSPITAL

In a larger hospital, there may be a nurse taking care of the mother before, another during and even more attending to the baby. In Montrose, she said, it’s usually one nurse and so a bond can be formed with the family.

But she said patients do choose a hospital and the hospital has rules. This means an IV tube must be set up for emergencies and intervention is possible.

“When they are coming here we have to be ready for a disaster. If they choose a hospital, they choose to have interventions available,” she said.

In a small town, mothers may receive more consistent care. It is important to find out about the nurses’ schedules and how many would be attending you in labor and recovery. I had excellent care from my nurses. I also recommend knowing the hospital protocol ahead of time. You can refuse things such as automatic IV, heplock, or continuous fetal monitoring. Yes, you can refuse it. Those are interventions that are unnecessary if you are a low-risk patient. “If they choose a hospital, they choose to have interventions available.” Keep that in mind – if the interventions are available to you they are also available to your staff.

Physician Jacqueline Garrard said the birthing world is “pretty liberal,” allowing mothers to choose when and how they want to deliver.

Liberal is not how I describe the birthing world. Childbirth is still largely governed by men who treat the female body like personal property. Besides, not all mothers are “allowed” to choose how they deliver. Ask any number of women who are denied VBACs in this country every year. We have a long way to go before someone like me will call the birthing world “liberal”.